Houston was going to play a full intrasquad game today buuuuuut that's been cancelled and media availability has been pushed back hours as they await test results from at least one player.
This is after their entire pitching staff had to shut down yesterday because of a positive while they wait for tests.Houston was going to play a full intrasquad game today buuuuuut that's been cancelled and media availability has been pushed back hours as they await test results from at least one player.
They should have the organist play every inning of every game. Or if that's too tiring, supplement the playing with recordings of the Dodgers' organist.Fake crowd noise sucks. It's an admission that the sport you're watching isn't actually entertaining enough in and of itself and needs steroidal enhancement to be palatable.
No that shouldn't.If the testing facilities are backlogged and overwhelmed, should MLB be adding to the burden unnecessarily?
Giving up young talent isn't always mortgaging the future, you can only protect so many guys and teams like TB and SD have young talent to spare. Not saying you're wrong, but it's more complicated than '6-8 years of this 19 year old' for 'a few months of this current All-Star'. If that move allows you to then protect a player next winter who is 90 or 95 percent as promising as the guy you dealt, you're giving up a lot less in total than it seems.Are there any teams that would seriously consider mortgaging their future to so that they could be in "Go for it now"-mode? I'm thinking with the season being so fragile that it could possibly shut down mid-September, would any team go out on that limb knowing full well that there might not be a World Series Champion in 2020?
Please let Angel Hernandez be one of them.11 umpires have opted out of working this season, some of whom are presumably high risk and will still get paid, but some are foregoing paychecks as they aren't considered high risk. Joe West has been ruled high risk but, obviously, is planning to work anyway.
He is umpiring this year because he needs 60 more games to break the record by most games ever umpired. Do umpires get days off? Like, will he umpire in all 60 games this year?More buffoonery from Joe West. I'm shocked this hasn't gotten more attention. He, like most umpires, are getting their "spring training" work by visiting camps and umpiring intrasquad games. He's doing so without wearing a mask (other than the standard umpire's mask). Apparently, it isn't a requirement by MLB for field personnel, but thus far most umpires have been working with medical masks under their umpire's mask as a precaution (including Mark Wegner, who like West is working in Rays camp) I'm sure the catchers love having him breathing all over the back of their neck.
http://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2020/07/13/rays-workout-more-interesting-with-joe-west-behind-the-plate/
I believe normally there's something like 18-20 four man crews that rotate during the season and only a maximum of 15 games a day, so presumably that means they get days if not entire series off. With 11 umps opting out, that reduces the numbers by nearly three full crews. I have to assume they'll call up some more minor league umps to fill gaps since they're not working this year. Bottom line...no, Joe West isn't going to umpire 60 games this season unless they count post-season games. Of course, that's assuming they even get far enough to have post-season games.He is umpiring this year because he needs 60 more games to break the record by most games ever umpired. Do umpires get days off? Like, will he umpire in all 60 games this year?
Thanks. I thought for a while about that, ultimately wanted to keep Cubs/Cardinals in the same division. There are some slam dunk geographic divisions along the coasts, but the interior is pretty tricky.That was a fun read. I'd swap the Twins and Cardinals, but otherwise the divisions work well. A bit concerned about 10 teams sharing one stadium's facilities -- even in non-Covid times that would require a whole lot of temporary dressing rooms. But the overall idea of making this a one-off makes a ton of sense
Does the virus know about his ambition? How would “Umpired in 2nd Most Games Ever” look on a tombstone?He is umpiring this year because he needs 60 more games to break the record by most games ever umpired. Do umpires get days off? Like, will he umpire in all 60 games this year?
So it's safe to say he already holds the record for most blown calls in history. Can't he just be happy with that title?He is umpiring this year because he needs 60 more games to break the record by most games ever umpired. Do umpires get days off? Like, will he umpire in all 60 games this year?
Joe West seems to be an idiot, but he has made some of the best, accurate calls that benefited the Sox in the post-season, especially in NYC in 2004 alcs and 2018 in Houston alcs.So it's safe to say he already holds the record for most blown calls in history. Can't he just be happy with that title?
And 2004 was before replay review in MLB. For this, I'll always have a soft spot for that crazy old coot.Joe West seems to be an idiot, but he has made some of the best, accurate calls that benefited the Sox in the post-season, especially in NYC in 2004 alcs and 2018 in Houston alcs.
Clint Frazier announced it first.The Phillies Didi Gregorious is going to wear a mask during games. He has a kidney condition. I think this is the first player to come out publicly for in game mask wearing.
I've noticed some Red Sox wearing masks during their intrasquad games. Notably Tzu-Wei Lin and Jose Peraza, though Peraza had his mask under his chin as often as it was on his face, at least from what I watched. If they're comfortable doing so, I think it's a good idea for as many players as possible to wear masks.The Phillies Didi Gregorious is going to wear a mask during games. He has a kidney condition. I think this is the first player to come out publicly for in game mask wearing.
He was the minute he got traded to the Yankees.Is Frazier a “player?”
Dunedin going to allow them? Makes it easier for their games with Rays, Marlins, and Braves, at least.Jays have been officially denied by Canada to host games in Toronto. They're headed to Boston to play a couple exhibitions. Who knows where they'll end up after that.
View: https://twitter.com/rgilliescanada/status/1284560181947502592
Given Florida's political climate, I would be surprised if Dunedin denied them. But I assume the Jays would prefer to stay out of there if they can. I'm seeing a few reporters suggesting Buffalo. Regardless of where they play, if it isn't an existing MLB park, there will need to be work done before they can host a game. Specifically upgrading lights to MLB standards and installing replay apparatus.Dunedin going to allow them? Makes it easier for their games with Rays, Marlins, and Braves, at least.
The lighting in Buffalo isn't great, per discussion on MLB Radio this week.The Bisons stadium in Buffalo is the biggest in AAA at almost 17k. I haven’t been in a while but I recall it being pretty nice and it’s well located.
That was Travis Shaw. Speaking of whom, yesterday he had to apologize for criticizing the plan for the Jays to live at the Rogers Centre and today, guess what.Right, I remember someone here posting about a player who mentioned improved lighting at the MLB level. I don’t think they’re going to have too many choices with MLB quality lighting unless they take over a stadium from another sport.
The challenge there is the schedule is already laid out. What happens if the Jays have a home game scheduled on the same day as the Yankees and the Mets (July 29-30, August 11-12)?Seems like they should just play in New York. It would minimize travel for themselves and the other New York teams. It would probably randomly minimize travel for teams that end up with back to back series in NYC.
The two minor league ballparks within city limits? Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees. Trenton is an easy drive as well.The challenge there is the schedule is already laid out. What happens if the Jays have a home game scheduled on the same day as the Yankees and the Mets (July 29-30, August 11-12)?
It's too bad that the most recently abandoned MLB park, which presumably is still viable, is in Arlington Texas. That's not good for travel in the East divisions and Texas is no better COVID-wise than Florida. Two strikes against it, but otherwise might have been an ideal solution.
Reliever Anthony Bass says Jays management has told players it is determined to try to find a Major League Ballpark for the team to play in. #Bluejays
I suspect those would just be turned into away or neutral location games. It's not a perfect solution, but I bet Jays players would take a couple extra away games over playing in a mocked-up minor league field all year.The challenge there is the schedule is already laid out. What happens if the Jays have a home game scheduled on the same day as the Yankees and the Mets (July 29-30, August 11-12)?
Lights. And major league clubhouse, workout, and trainer’s facilitiesI cant fathom how they are gonna pull that off. Adding lights to Buffalo seems much easier than the scheduling hurdles
Wouldnt shock me to see them play all road games then. I dunno. Just dont have a lot of spare MLB stadiums lying around, especially in the northeast.Lights. And major league clubhouse, workout, and trainer’s facilities